Dark Cherry
by NinjaGurlo
Summary: Sakura is a princess who was originally protected by her body guard, Itachi. Then a horrible incident cause Itachi to risk his life for her. Years after his death, a new guard was assign to her on her 16th birthday. But who? Rated T for juicy lemon situations. Sasuke x Sakura
1. A Birthday Filled With Suprises

**Chapter 1**: **A Birthday Filled With Suprises**

A girl with solf pink hair stands in the rain under a tree...

'It's this dream again.'

Another person was there...his back turned to her...dark hair that's tied back... He turns around to reveal red piercing eyes...blood

'I don't want to see it again..'

The girl's body trembles as she cry, trying to say something but couldn't get the words out.

'I don't want to remember..."

The figure turns around and gives the girl a weak smile...then..

his body dissolves into darkness...

Sakura wakes up from her nightmare with cold sweat. 'Why did I dream about that time?' Following that thought was many others, and she soon drift back to sleep.

"Gooood Morning, Sakura-chan! Happy Birthday~!" Naruto shouted while bursting into Sakura's room with a familar foxy grin.

"Don't you know how to knock before going into a girl's room?" Sakura said plainly to the spikey hair boy.

"Opps...Sorry" Naruto chuckled.

Sakura walks out of her room to the main hall with Naruto following her.

"What's up, Naruto? You don't usually do this."

"Well...Osama wanted me to tell you something..." Naruto takes a big deep breath and continues. "We are getting a new shinobi member today...and he's going to be your new bodyguard too."

Sakura stops in her track. "Why do I need a bodyguard? I can take care of myself." Sakura said coldly.

He frowns at her. 'I knew she was gonna be unhappy about this...'

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I know Itachi's death is hard for you, but you need someone to protect you. You're a princese and my best friend! I don't want you to be harmed."

"Then why didn't my dad assign you as my bodyguard?"

"He said I wasn't eligible enough for the job..." Naruto shifts his vision to the ground.

Just before Sakura was about to open her mouth to say something, there was a loud ringing noise throughout the palace.

"Crap! Just what we need in the morning!" Naruto hissed. He dashes down the hall and disappears in a leap.

'An intruder in the morning? Today is sooo...wats the word...? Think like Shikamaru... Oh yeah. TROUBLESOME.' Sakura turns around and walk the opposite direction that Naruto headed towards. There was a weird atmosphere on that side of the hall that she was heading to. Without noticing that she was being followed by someone, that person grabs her, pulls her to a corner, and covers her mouth immediately.

"Sakura-chan...sshhhh." The person lets go of her before all hell break loose.

"Lee? Let me guess. You're the intruder..." 'He's been the intruder for I dunno...2 weeks now?'

"Sakura-chan," Lee got down on his knees and take her hand into his. "I will ask you once more. Please marry me~"

"I already told you...No, no no! I'm too young to get married..."

"But your father said that you have his permission to get marry once you're 16 years old"

"Well, that's just some stupid family tradition that I don't want to follow!"

"Heh-heh...But if you did follow the tradition your father would be happy..." Lee chuckled. "Uh oh...I'm late for training."

Sakura stares at him coldly with a sweat drop. "So you came here just to ask me to marry you? You could have just saved your butt from getting kicked by Gai-sensei for 2 weeks instead of coming here..." Sakura stared at his black eye and noticed that he had some broken tooth when he gave her an embarrass smile.

"I shall come every day and ask you, my love." Lee hops out a window nearby and lands firmly on a tree branch. "Someday, when you can't take this world anymore...you will come to me looking for a new meaning in life..and I shall embrace you with my strong arms and keep you there _**forever**_~~~" Lee disappears in a smoke after the last line.

'That was scary...' Sakura shivered, but brushes the hair-raising feeling off her shoulders immediately.

Sakura walks outside to the garden and sits on the grass. A white cat approaches her and sits on her lap.

"Shiro-chan," Sakura pets the cat and then gently strokes his back. "You know...I'm getting a new bodyguard. I hope that person likes cats. Itachi-kun and me always play with you when you were lonely...Do you miss Itachi-kun, Shiro-chan?" Sakura pauses and listens to the calm purring of the white cat. Then his ears suddenly perk up. A cloud of smoke appeared in front of Sakura. "Hyuga-san?"

"Hime-sama, Osama would like to have a word with you." Neji said kneeling down loyaly.

"Alright." Sakura lifts the white cat off her lap and left with Neji.

Sakura and Neji walks quietly to the throne room. Suddenly there was a loud crack. "What the-?" Neji falls into a hole under the floor boards.

Tenten walks over to Sakura. "Sakura~ it looks like the trap you told me to make worked." Tenten giggled.

"Yup it did. But it caught the wrong person. Too bad I didn't lead Lee over here before he left." Sakura peered down into the big hole and watch Neji panic in the dark. "How deep is this hole, Tenten?"

"177,392 ft. deep. It's supposed to make the person who falls into it panic in the dark...and that part is working too."

"Tenten," Neji shouted from the bottom of the hole. "How am I supposed to get out of this hole?"

"Ooooooooooh...that part. I don't know. Hehe..." Tenten sweat dropped.

"Um...Neji. I'll just go see my father now...you don't have to escort me." Sakura said waving "bye" to Neji from the top of the hole. "Tenten...I think you should try and find a way get him out"

"OK~" Tenten said delightfully. "Neji, can't you just climb out?"

"Hell no! It's way too deep to climb out...and what the hell is the slippery stuff on the wall of this hole? It smells like baby oil!"

"You know how baby oil smells like?" Tenten said puzzled and crouching down next to the hole.

Sakura sigh and left them to figure out the complication.

Sakura enters the throne room and slowly approaches her parents.

"Sakura, I'm glad you came." Her father said in a gentle tone.

"Honey, please don't be upset with this. I'm sorry that your father and I made this decision without hearing what you have to say." Her mother worried.

"It's okay. I've made up my mind and I'm fine with it" Sakura gives her parents a weak smile.

Her father stands up. "Our new shinobi member, please come out and introduce yourself."

Sakura turned around and watch the giant entrance door open slowly.


	2. Sasuke kun

**Chapter 2****: "Sasuke-kun"**

Sakura watch the figure walk torwards them, coming from the poorly lit part of the room. As he comes more into the light, his features starts to appear. Tall, raven hair, pale skin, and piercing onyx eyes. He was dark and mysterious. He approaches Sakura and kneels down. "Uchiha Sasuke. Nice to meet you, Hime-sama." Sasuke said this while avoid her eye contact by staring right through her.

'He's kinda quiet...maybe he's shy..' Sakura thought to herself. "Nice to meet you." His quiet air intimidates her to speak more.

"Sakura", her mother spoke. "Why don't you two go talk a walk or do something to get to know each other more? We have to prepare for you birthday celebration."

"Okay..." Sakura said almost a mumble.

Sakura had decides to take Sasuke to the garden. The walk to the garden was dead. No one dares to speak a word, but Sakura finally breaks the unbearable silence. "Sooooo...um...you last name is Uchiha..Are you somehow related to Uchiha Itachi?"

"Yeah, he's my older brother." Sasuke said with a plain expression.

Sakura was starting to feel intimidated at again, so she tries to think of something better to talk about. But before she could talk, Sasuke started. "I knew I was going to come here and be your bodyguard after Itachi's death. But I won't do the same mistakes he did." He said coldly.

Now Sakura didn't really know what to say. 'This person seems kinda lonely...He must be sad about his brother's death. Oh, maybe Sasuke-san and Shiro-chan will get along well.'

When they reach the garden, the white cat comes out to greet Sakura. "Shiro-chan!" Sakura rushes over to the cat, gets on her knees and sits down. Sasuke watch as he sat down next to Sakura. The cat stops in his track and watch Sasuke carefully, observing the new face. Then he walks slowly over to Sauske and sat on his lap.

Sakura giggle. "He wants you to pet him, Uchiha-san"

Sasuke stares at the cat, then gently puts his hand on the cat's back and strokes him. Sakura watches them happily. 'Looks like they're getting along well.'

"Uchiha-san." Sakura said tilting her head to the side to see Sasuke a bit better.

"Hm?"

"When Itachi come home to visit the family..does he tell you about me?"

"Yea, he does." Sakura felt a bit happy about this. But then she was still curious.

"What did he say?"

Sasuke pause for a while, trying to think. "He told me that you're quite an adventurer..."

Sakura pount. "Is that all he said?"

"No..but it's the only thing I can remember. It's been quite a while since that time." Sasuke shrug his shoulders. "If I remember more, I'll tell you."

"Okay." Sakura smiled. "Well, Itachi told me about you too. Hehe...He said you like to ride on his shoulder when you were younger, and whenever he goes out training you would follow him and train too. But then you would always get hurt and he would have to piggy-back you home."

'Great..he just had to tell her that...' Sasuke was a bit embarrassed of the childish memory.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Heh..nothing. It's just a really childish memory."

"Oh. But I don't think it's childish at all. I think it was really cute." Sakura said flashing a bright smile at Sasuke.

Shiro-chan then jumps of Sasuke and gets on Sakura's lap for some unknown disturbance was near. Suddenly, someone grabs Sasuke's right shoulder in a quick movement and jerks him backward. But before his head could hit the ground he already had kawarimi no jutsu in effect and the piece of wood hit the ground with a light sound as Sasuke appears behind the person who grabbed him.

The 'stranger' in front of Sasuke flashes his foxy grin. "Heh…didn't expect that from a newbie. No wonder you were promoted as the bodyguard." He said in a loud optimistic voice.

"Naruto! Be nice to Sasuke-san. Besides, you guys are comrades now." Sakura scolded Naruto.

"You…where have I seen you before? All I remember is that annoying tone of voice." Sasuke said bluntly.

"Oh? Was it way back in ninja school 'Sasuke-kun'~!" Naruto said sarcastically. "I'm sure you remember a kid name Uzumaki Naruto, but I guess back then you were too busy being chased by girls."

"Hm. I see. You're that kid that always wants to pick a fight with me…." Sasuke said looking annoyed.

"That's right…You better remember me 'cus if you hurt Sakura-chan at all, I will kill you."

Sakura then tries to break the fight. "Baka! He's not going to hurt me. If he is then my dad would knew already before any of this. Well, just go and patrol the palace, Naruto. I heard there was an 'intruder'. Sakura said the word 'intruder' sarcastically referring to Lee."

"Alright, Sakura-chan…Smell ya later, Sasuke." Naruto said as he left a big cloud of smoke behind.

Shiro-chan comes back when the coast is clear and sits on Sasuke's lap again. Sakura watches Sasuke as he strokes the cat.

"Hey Uchiha-san"

"Hm?" Sasuke respond quietly as he turn to face her.

"Is it okay if I call you Sasuke-kun. I know that we only knew each other for a few hours, but since we are going to be with each other most of the time I just think that we will become good friends. Oh, and you can just call me Sakura." Sakura said flashing Sasuke a cute smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine with it." Sasuke then thought to himself. 'That's right, we are going to be together from now on.'

-Later that night -

Sakura walks warily in the direction of the bathroom, hoping that it's late enough to be able to take a bath out in the outdoor bath. It is her birthday after all, it's good to cleanse the body and wash always all the wariness of the past year.

Sakura takes off her clothes quickly and wraps a towel around her body. As she put her clothes in a basket, she saw another basket of clothes too. The clothes were dark and they look big. The first thought of seeing the clothes is that somebody forgot them. Someone like Naruto... But, with a long day like today, Sakura doesn't want to even use her brain to think anymore. She just wants to relax for the rest of the night. Sakura was about to open the door just when she heard a soft noise like water splashing.

'Huh? Is someone already here?' She thinks to herself, beginning to realize something was fishy. Sakura opens the sliding doors to investigate the noise. But, there was nothing there.

'I swear, I heard something, but maybe I'm just tired from all the commotion that kept on appearing today…' Sakura brush the thought off her shoulders and slowly walk into the warm water to let her day melt away.


	3. Bath Time Trouble and Quiet Morning

Waaah. I haven't update this story for such a long time! . I'm soo sorry! Well..now that it's up. Enjoy it~!

Hm...this is the fun part.

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**Chapter 3: Bath Time Trouble and Quiet Morning**

Sasuke was sitting in the outdoor bath thinking back on the events of the day.

_Splash._

Sasuke immediately snap out of his trance and rush to hide behind a big rock nearby.

'Who's coming here at this hour?' Sasuke thought to himself as he carefully listens to the small rippling noise that's approaching his direction.

Sakura let out a sigh. 'This place is so nice. I don't know why I have to take baths in a private place. It's all closed up and stuffy in there. I like it here better.'

Sasuke flinched as soon from the sound of the sigh and made a small ripple.

'Crap. It's Sakura-hime. What am I going to do if she sees me?'

Sakura heard the small ripple come from the right and she starts to move closer to find out what was the source of the ripples. She got closer to the corner where there was a big rock and saw someone with dark hair.

"Um…..who's there?" Sakura said as she slow peak around the corner of the rock. "Oh it's just you, Hinata-chan. I was scared for a while there….I thought it was a pervert.

"….." The dark-hair girl didn't say anything but had her head down to hide her flustered face.

Sakura got closer and the girl flinched. "Aw, don't be shy, Hinata-chan. We're both girls after all" Sakura grab the girl's shoulder to pull her towards her direction. The girl flinches from her touch and runs as fast as she can away.

'Hm…maybe it was too embarrassing for her…' Sakura shrugged this thought out of her head and continue with her bath.

The dark hair girl ran out of the changing room fast.

Naruto was walking in her direction.

"Hey, Hinata –" She passed him before he could even finish greeting her. "Did….I do something wrong?"

Naruto walk around the corner and bump into someone small with dark hair.

The girl looks up to apologize. "Oh. I...I...um.. I'm sorry, N-Naruto-kun" She turn red like a strawberry.

"Ah? Hinata-chan? But…you just…went.." Naruto said as he pointed behind him to indicate the direction.

"Huh...? W-What are you talking about?" Hinata shrug her shoulder with a puzzled look on her face.

Naruto paused for a bit trying to recall what had happened. "Oh..um..never mind." Naruto said while flashing his foxy smile. "Well, I have to go take a bath now. I'll see you tomorrow, Hinata-chan."

Hinata watch Naruto with a puzzled look on her face as he leaves.

**[After the bath…]**

Sakura wrap her towel around her and walk to into the changing room. After she got done changing and was about to leave the changing room, something caught her eyes. The clothes that were in the basket earlier were gone.

'Maybe one of the maids came and took it.' Sakura thought to herself, not trying to think that it was somebody else that was in the changing room earlier.

**[Where Sasuke is…]**

Sasuke was in his room sitting on the futon, his face red, and his hair wet.

'That was close! I hope I wasn't found out…I…I almost…SAW IT!' Sasuke fall back on his futon and sigh. 'Get a hold of yourself Uchiha Sasuke.'

Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.

"Come in." Sasuke said as he opens the door. The pink hair caught his eyes. 'Crap…'

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, did you just got out from taking a bath? Your hair is soaking wet." Sakura inched in a bit closer to him so that she can use her towel to dry his hair. "There you go. You don't want to catch a cold on your first day now don't you?"

"No…." Sasuke mumbled while looking at the ground. 'I hope she doesn't see my face….it's beating red. I can feel it….'

"Ehe…I remember how Itachi-kun used to do this to me when I was little." Sakura's mouth curved into a calm smile at the mention of someone precious to her. "Did he used to do this to you too?"

"Yea, he used to do this…" Sasuke responded in a quiet stoic voice and slowly remove the towel off his head. "Sakura-hime, you should go to bed. Today must have been a long day for you. You should go rest so tomorrow you won't be tired."

Sakura smile brightly. "Okay, Sasuke-kun. Good night." Sakura turn around to leave and pause a bit, and then she closes the sliding doors behind her.

**[In the morning…]**

The cool morning breeze gently brushes the leaves outside Sasuke's room. He wakes up every now and then, alarmed that the slightest noise was an enemy. His eyes slowly close again and he drift back to sleep. There was a continuous gentle rustling noise at the door that leads to the garden. Finally, Sasuke gives up on sleeping and got up to check what was making the noise. He open the sliding doors and meet with two pointy grey ears.

"Oh it's just you…Shio." Sasuke said in a sleepy and sloppy tone.

Shio walk in the room and head to the futon where Sasuke slept, circle on one spot, and then lay down his little head.

"Sheesh, I can't even sleep but you can…" Sasuke walk outside to enjoy the fresh morning air. Then a familiar voice calls out to him.

"Sasuke-kun, you're up early."

"Mm." Sasuke nodded. "Good morning, Sakura-hime."

Sakura noticed a grey blob-looking thing on Sasuke's futon.

"Ah. Shio-chan. What are you doing in Sasuke-kun's room?" Sakura walk on the stepping stones in the garden to get over to the room across from her's. As she was getting up on the porch again, she accidentally steps on her robe.

Then there was a loud thud that sounded really painful.


	4. Caught RedHanded

**Chapter 4: Caught Red-Handed**

_Thud!_

"Oww…" Sasuke hissed from the pain while he cringe. 'That was a close call….She almost hit the porch head first.'

Sakura open her eyes and noticed that she was being held tightly in his arms. "Sasuke-kun! Are you alright? I'm so sorry! I wasn't being careful." Sakura lifted herself of Sasuke so all her weight won't be on him.

Sasuke starts to adjust the focus of his eyes and he came back to reality. His eyes got big and he turns red. Right in front of him was the view that every man in the world never miss if it was close by. Cleavage.

"Huh? What's wrong, Sasuke-kun? Did you really caught a cold from last night? You look a bit flustered."

Flashback from last night came back to him and he really was burning up. 'Last night…I almost saw it too…'

"Oh no! You're really burning up now!" Sakura said as she lean in closer to him to feel his forehead. As she was doing this her 'view' was being expose even more.

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore and grab her shoulders. "Hime, please. Pull up your robe. This is too provocative for me."

Sakura look down at her robe and blush. "Ah! I'm sorry. I was really worried that you got hurt and forgot about myself." She then fixes her robe then glance at Sasuke. He was still quite flustered from what happened. Sakura giggle at how red his face was. "Sasuke-kun, stay here, I'm going to get some ice for you."

When Sakura was gone, Sasuke sigh. 'I didn't know being a bodyguard would also include situations like this….Nii-san, how did you do it?'

Suddenly, there was a cloud of smoke right in front of Sasuke's face and a pair of foxy eyes met with his.

"AHA! I caught you red-handed, Sasuke! You're just some stupid pervert! I saw everything! You pulled Sakura-chan on purpose so that she'll land on you!" The number one noisiest shinobi point and yelled close up at the poker-face Uchiha.

Sasuke smirks at Naruto's comment. "Hmp. You're the pervert. You're supposed to be somewhere else and you're here spying on us. But, I guess that's what perverts do for living."

Naruto was irritated now. "You! I'm going to report what happened to Ousama! You can't get away with this!" Naruto disappears in a cloud of smoke.

"Let's see you try…" Sasuke turn to the direction of Sakura's footsteps.

"Sasuke-kun, how are you feeling?" Sakura hand Sasuke the pack of ice.

"Thank you, Hime-san. I'm fine. Don't worry." A peaceful smile stretch across his face as he said this. Oh, how contagious his smile was, it made Sakura smile too.

"You have a nice smile." Sakura said as she poked his right cheek.

"Really? My brother always tells me that it looks funny…" Sasuke frown on the thought of the comment that his brother made about his smile.

Sakura giggles. "Aw, he was just teasing you. He tells me that a lot too."

Suddenly there was a cloud of smoke in the garden. A young man with long hair and white eyes greet the two of them. "Good morning, Sakura-hime and Uchiha-san."

Sasuke slightly bow to greet him and Sakura wave at him.

"Good morning, Neji-san. What brought you here?"

"Ou-sama would like to have a word with you. He said to go to his room immediately."

'Hmm. I wonder what Otou-sama wants…'

"Hime-san, Uchiha-san, I'll take my leave now." Neji disappear in a cloud of smoke and both Sakura and Sasuke stood there in silent.

"Sasuke-kun. I'll see you later. I have to go now." Sakura was in a rush. It was rare for her father to call her so early in the morning.

Sasuke went back into his room and get ready as fast as he can to find out what's going on.

'Damn, I bet Naruto caused some kind of trouble waking up the King and telling him what happened…'

Sasuke was waiting outside of the King's room. Suddenly the doors open and it was Naruto.

"Ou-sama wants to have a word with you." Naruto had an evil grin on his face.

Sasuke glared at Naruto as they walk pass each other.

Sasuke walk up to where the King and Sakura are sitting. He bows to greet them and then sit down on the cushion facing both of them.

"Uchiha-san, I heard from Naruto that you had touched Sakura inappropriately –"

He was interrupted by his daughter. "Otou-sama! Sasuke-kun only tried to protect me…If he didn't catch me then you would have a daughter with no teeth at all. I fell face first. Just think about how I would look like if no one was there to catch me…" Sakura pout at his father.

The king sighs. "Then, Naruto probably just misunderstood the situation and got anxious. I'm sorry Uchiha-san, because of Naruto you've been falsely accused. But, thank you for protecting Sakura."

Sasuke was relieved. 'I owe Sakura-hime one.' "I was just doing my duty as her guardian, Ou-sama."

"Hm…you are a fine boy. Your father must be quite proud of you." The King smiles kindly.

Sasuke had no expression on his face. Sakura stare at his blank face for a while and wonder about the things that go on in his head. 'I wonder why he doesn't show much emotion at all. Smiles are rare for him…'

Sasuke noticed Sakura staring at him intensely. "Huh? What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No…but it's something about your face." Sakura said flashing Sasuke an adorable smile.

Sasuke felt a rush of self-consciousness run through him after he hears Sakura say something about his face.


	5. Nostalgic Feelings

**Sorry for not updating for a long time! TT_TT**

**But, I'm back now.**

**I'm done with school...Like..FOR GOOD! Yay~**

**This chapter is a bit more laid back.**

**Make sure to remember the special place that Sakura took Sasuke to go see.**

**It'll be important later.**

**Also... A mysterious character appears with an air of familiarity.**

**Enjoy the story~**

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**Chapter 5: Nostalgic Feelings**

"Sasuke-kun," Saskura happily skips to the front gate. "Come on! I'll show the city to you. There's a lot to see….and, Oh! I know! I'll take you to my favorite spot. I always go there whenever I want to relax."

Sasuke is feeling pretty happy to see Sakura so cheerful about this. Being a princess must be hard on her, and she's at the age where adults put heavy responsibilities on her shoulders. So, getting out of the palace is probably like a special opportunity to see the world.

"Sakura-hime…How often do you get to go outside of the palace?" Sasuke was curious. Is her father strict on her? Sasuke thinks to himself. '_Well, it's understandable since he wants to keep her safe.'_

Sakura puts her right index finger on her chin. "I sneak out. Sometimes this guy name Lee would sneak into the castle and I would ask him to help me sneak out. But, I don't have to worry about that now! Since I have you to protect me, Father has allowed me much more freedom than before." She smiles brightly. Sasuke slightly grin at her answer.

As they walk down the busy street, a tall woman with dark violet hair stops in front Sakura. "Pardon me, young miss, but can you please point out where the palace is?"

Sakura was surprised to see someone who doesn't recognize that she was the princess. She thought that perhaps this woman was from a faraway country. "The palace is just down this street. You won't miss the large red gate." Sakura points to the direction of which they came from.

"Thank you…" The woman kindly smile as she leaves.

Sakura noticed that Sasuke was staring at the woman for awhile. "Isn't she beautiful, Sasuke-kun?" She was thinking that he was mesmerized by that woman's beauty.

"Aaa… Sure. I just thought that she looked familiar, but it could be my imagination." The last few words came out of his mouth almost as mumbles.

Sakura and Sasuke arrive in a different part in the city. It suddenly was quiet. A peaceful kind of quiet. The neighbors are out enjoying the wonderful spring weather. They wave as their princess passes by them. Sasuke could see that she is well known in this neighborhood.

They then turn at an alleyway. There was a moss-covered road pass the alley that leads into a bamboo forest. As they enter the forest, Sasuke listens to the sound of the bamboo leaves rustling in the light breeze. "It's peaceful here…." Sasuke said closing eyes for a moment and smelling the fresh air.

Sakura nods. "It'll get even better."

They've been in the forest for about six minutes and the terrains starts to change. It's gotten rockier. Huge boulders in front of them jag out of the ground and some seemed to be stacked on top of each other. A faint roaring noise could be heard as they pass those boulders. Then they arrive to a clearing in the forest. There, in the clearing were a few small waterfalls that travel down a cliff and down boulders forming a small pond.

Sakura crouch down and touch the cool pound water. "This is my favorite place to be... I love to come here when things get hectic in the palace. I guess you could call it a secret escape. You're the only other person that knows this place…"

"I'm honored... It brings me peace as well… Thank you, Sakura-hime." Sasuke smiles in a very gentle way, making Sakura blush and avert her eyes from him to the water.

"Okay! Let's head back before Otou-sama gets worried…" She said as she gets up quickly.

[Back at the palace…]

Sakura slides open her bedroom doors. There, was the woman that they met not long after they walk out of the palace.

The woman turn around greet her. "Good day, Sakura-hime. I am your new personal maid. Sendori Nana. Please feel free to call me Nana." The woman looks down at her feet. "I'm sorry for not recognizing you before…"

"Ah. Don't worry!" Sakura beamed. "I just thought that you are from a different country or somewhere faraway, so it's okay."

The woman smile warmly at the princess in relief and Sakura couldn't help it but to admire her beauty. Somehow the smile that Nana is giving her seems very familiar. Sakura wasn't sure what it was, but it was nostalgic and it made her feel safe.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in." Sakura answered.

Sasuke open the door and pause.

"Sasuke-kun, you came at the right time. You must of recognize her too since we met her not long ago. This is Nana-san. She's going to be my personal maid from now on."

Nana bow and greet Sasuke. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sendori Nana."

Sasuke also bow and introduce himself. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke. Sakura-hime's bodyguard." He kept his introduction short to be cautious of the new person.

Nana also gave Sasuke a warm smile. Without notice, he was staring at her too. Her smile…Why was it so nostalgic?

"Well, Sakura-him, Uchiha-san, I'll be going to help prepare lunch now." Nana bow before she leaves the room.

Sasuke was still standing in the same spot. Sakura was wondering what's wrong with him. He suddenly froze after seeing Nana's smile. "Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?" Sakura said in a quiet, almost whisper voice.

Sasuke snaps out of his trance. "Oh...nothing. Sorry, Sakura-hime. I'm alright." He shuts his eyes tight for a moment and let out a sigh.

"Okay…As long as you're not feeling sick. If you're ever sick please tell me. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others!" Sakura was worried. He's never been like this since he came to the palace. Sure, he's quiet and seems emotionless most of the time, but he's never been in a trance that would make him freeze up.

Sasuke look at Sakura a bit surprise. "I…can't promise you that." He said a bit hesitant since it was his first time going against the princess's words.

Sakura pucker her lips in dissatisfaction to his response. "Why not…?" She walks up closer to him and made sure that there was eye contact between them.

"Well, for me your wellbeing comes first before mine. So, no need to worry about me." Sasuke said this looking away and trying to avert her eyes.

Sakura admit defeat. "Fine… Well, I'm hungry. Let's go eat, Sasuke-kun!" She grabs his hand and drags him to the dining hall.

Sasuke was still in deep thoughts after lunch. He was still thinking about Nana and the air of familiarity around her. Not paying attention to where he's going, Sasuke bump into Sakura when she suddenly stopped in front of her room.

"Ah." Sasuke panicked. "I'm sorry…." He looks away in embarrassment.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun." Sakura said as she turns to face him. "You know…Something as been bothering me. Nana-san….she…there's a very nostalgic feeling about her. I don't know why, but seeing her makes me feel…warm or safe."

Sasuke was glad he wasn't the only one feeling that way. "I felt it too…." He then thinks to himself. 'Just who is Sendori Nana.'

* * *

**"Who's Sendori Nana?!"**

**That is going to be the question for Sasuke and Sakura for a while...**

**Now, she makes them feel nostalgic, but in a good way.**

**They're a bit confused about why they feel this way.**

**Sakura doesn't mind it, but Sasuke is really on edge with this mysterious lady.**

***mumble* Well, guys I'll try and update ASAP now that I have a lot of free time on my hands =w='**


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